Swept Away (musical)

''Swept Away'' is a jukebox musical featuring the music of The Avett Brothers, primarily from the album ''Mignonette''. The show's book is by John Logan. It premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2022 before moving to Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., where it ran from November 25 to January 14, 2024. It began previews on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on October 29, 2024, opening on November 19, 2024. It announced a closing date of December 15, 2024. A two week extension was added, setting the new closing date for December 29, 2024.

The show follows four sailors, who are shipwrecked off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1888. The story is drawn from the 1884 shipwreck which also inspired the Avett Brothers' album. The show is 90 minutes in total runtime with no intermission.

Development

The concept of a musical based on the music of The Avett Brothers was first raised in 2014, when theater producer Matthew Masten proposed the idea to the band's manager. The musical was announced to the public in 2019.

Plot

In the early 1900s, Mate, dying of tuberculosis, is tormented by the memories of his crewmates who died after a shipwreck 22 years earlier. The spirits encourage him to "tell the truth" ("Go to Sleep").

In 1888, Mate is a whaling crew member under the Captain ("Hard Worker"). Seeking adventure, Little Brother joins the crew, and, after attempting to bring him back home to their family farm, Big Brother becomes stranded on the ship as well ("Nothing Short of Thankful").

Though excited for the journey, Little Brother laments the love he left behind on land, Melody Anne ("Swept Away"). He and Mate grow closer, much to Big Brother's disdain. On the third day of the voyage, Big Brother tries to rally the crew in prayer, but his attempts are in vain ("Lord Lay Your Hand on My Shoulder"/"Ain't No Man"). Captain ponders the future of the whaling trade and his life as a sailor ("May It Last"). Though Big Brother and Little Brother disagree on their purpose and desires in life, they value their brotherhood and agree on the importance of family ("Murder in the City").

Soon after, the ship is struck by a storm and sinks ("Complainte D'Un Matelot Mourant"). The entire crew dies in the wreckage, save for Mate, Captain, and the Brothers. After six days in a lifeboat with no food, water, or rain, the four men share their hopes for an eventual rescue ("A Gift for Melody Anne"). Little Brother, severely injured after being crushed by the falling mast, dictates a letter to Melody Anne for Mate to transcribe. Captain, distraught at having allowed his crew to perish alone, and Big Brother, insistent that Little Brother will not die alone, also dictate letters to their loved ones. Mate, realizing he has no one to write to, reflects on what he has made of his life ("Through My Prayers").

After sixteen days stranded at sea, the four are starving. Mate tells Captain that Little Brother will die soon anyway and that they should kill him in his sleep so the rest of them can have something to eat and drink ("Satan Pulls the Strings"). Captain refuses to make a decision, instead telling Mate that he is in charge now. Big Brother stops Mate from killing Little Brother, though Little Brother agrees that he will sacrifice himself after seeing one last sunrise. Big Brother concedes, but insists that he will be the one to kill him, not Mate ("No Hard Feelings"). When the time comes to make the sacrifice, however, Big Brother slits his own throat instead.

Mate struggles to continue the story, but is urged by the others to "make himself clean." Mate recounts how they all ate and drank from Big Brother's body. They were found by another ship soon after, but the three never spoke of the incident again. Captain died three years after the incident, and Little Brother just one year ago, surrounded by Melody Anne and their children. With the confession of the truth, Mate completes the retelling of the story and dies ("The Once and Future Carpenter").

Music

''Swept Away'' features songs previously written and recorded by The Avett Brothers, with the exception of "Lord Lay Your Hand on My Shoulder" which was written for the show.

Musical Numbers

* "Go to Sleep" – Mate and Company (from '' Emotionalism'')
* "Hard Worker" – Mate and Ensemble (from '' Mignonette'')
* "Nothing Short of Thankful" – Little Brother, Mate, Big Brother and Company (from ''Mignonette'')
* "Swept Away" – Little Brother, Mate, Captain and Sailor (from ''Mignonette'')
* "Lord Lay Your Hand On My Shoulder" – Big Brother and Little Brother
* "Ain't No Man" – Mate, Little Brother, Big Brother and Company (from ''True Sadness'')
* "May It Last" – Captain, Mate and Ensemble (from ''True Sadness'')
* "Murder in the City" – Little Brother, Big Brother and Ensemble (from '' The Second Gleam'')
* "Complainte d'un Matelot Mourant" – Company (from ''Mignonette'')
* "A Gift for Melody Anne" – Big Brother, Little Brother, Mate and Captain (from ''Mignonette'')
* "Through My Prayers" – Little Brother, Captain and Big Brother (from '' The Carpenter'')
* "Satan Pulls the Strings" – Mate and Ensemble (from ''True Sadness'')
* "No Hard Feelings" – Little Brother and Big Brother (from ''True Sadness'')
* "The Once and Future Carpenter" – Mate and Company (from ''The Carpenter'')

Productions

Berkeley (2022)

Initially scheduled to premiere in June 2020, the show was delayed due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It finally saw its Berkeley premiere in 2022. It was directed by Michael Mayer and led by actors Wayne Duvall (Captain), Adrian Blake Enscoe (Little Brother), John Gallagher Jr. (Mate), and Stark Sands (Big Brother). The show's set was designed by Rachel Hauck. The premiere saw low attendance, attributed to a surge of the omicron variant of COVID-19.

Washington, D.C. (2023–2024)

The Arena Stage production in Washington, D.C., which ran from November 25, 2023, to January 14, 2024, saw much of the Berkeley team return, including the four primary cast members. This production also saw the introduction of an ensemble, who mainly appeared in the opening scenes prior to the shipwreck.

Broadway (2024)

The musical opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on November 19, 2024, following previews beginning on October 29, and received mixed reviews. The show's arrangements and orchestrations were by Chris Miller and Brian Usifer (who was also the show's music supervisor). The show's creative team also included Will Van Dyke (music director), Susan Hilferty (costume designer), Kevin Adams (lighting designer), and John Shivers (sound designer). On December 5, 2024, it was announced that the show would close December 15. After the announcement, a two-week extension was added due to popular demand, and the show closed December 29, 2024, after 20 previews and 48 performances.

The Broadway show was produced by Matthew Masten, Sean Hudock, Madison Wells Live, Louise Gund and Kate Cannova, with assistance from Jimmy Buffet. The lead choreographer was David Neumann.

The production received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical.

Cast and characters

Reception

The 2022 Berkeley production of the show saw mixed reactions. Reviewers largely enjoyed the show's music and the actors' performances, but some felt the characterization was not thorough enough to deliver the emotional climax of the story.

The 2024 Broadway production received mixed reviews, with praise for the music, performances, and set design (especially a moment in which the entire set tilts vertically to show a sinking ship). However, overall sentiment for the script was negative. Writing for Vulture, Sara Holdren said: "A piece of theater assembled from preexisting songs... can wind up feeling by-the-numbers: The things we expect to happen happen, and along the way folks sing about them... Despite its creative team’s efforts to lace a capital-T Theme through the work, ''Swept Away'' often falls prey to this roteness."

References

External links

Official site
*

{{The Avett Brothers

2022 musicals
American musicals
Broadway musicals
Jukebox musicals
Musicals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
Musicals inspired by real-life events
Musicals set in Massachusetts
Musicals set on ships
Plays by John Logan (writer)
Works postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic